I just booked my trip to Tennessee to see the Solar Eclipse this August. Allegiant Airlines has a flight from Sanford, Florida to Chattanooga, Tennessee for a wallet-busting $102.00 round trip. I will leave Florida on Sunday, August 20. I plan to observe the eclipse from the foothills parkway just west of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After Seeing the eclipse I plan to spend a day hiking to a mountaintop in the Smoky Mountains. As a last Hurrah I'll spend the last day at Dollywood, which has opened five roller coasters since my last visit.

Are any of you fellow CIHers planning to see this eclipse? Post away my friends!

Be careful, Reg. Think you've reserved a round-trip on the 'OxyContin Special', there?

Actually I know precisely where you are going - one of my favorite areas and near where we would take our kids gem mining, when they were young. Having said that, for hiking, I'd suggest a short ride east toward Linville Falls...or Grandfather Mountain State Park.

Now, Dollywood should be interesting, between the storm damage and also the roller coaster ride that much of the art/display was supplied by the History Channel's American Pickers.

And no, nobody expects you are running around dealing 'Hillbilly Heroin', but I'm certain you'll be profiled.

X <sig.nature>"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike

If I have enough money I might go white water rafting on the upper Ocoee River (I've done the lower Ocoee a few times, including one trip where I took on the lower stretch in a one man "Duckee"). The lower stretch is designated Class IV, the upper is Class V. H-E (Double Hockey Sticks) or High Water I'm going to have fun.

If I can't go white water rafting I'll visit Grandfather Mountain (It's always good to have a backup plan). Like wise Carowinds will back up Dollywood and the Atomic Energy Museum will back up my day-hike in the Great Smoky Mountains. If they aren't needed the backups will have priority the next time I'm in this area (It's always good to "save something for seed").

Bummer News! The white water raft outfitters in the area only do the Upper Ocoee River on Saturdays and Sundays, so I won't be able to take this stretch on. But there's another river nearby, The Hiwassee River and they do runs of this river every day during the summer. I'll do this river in a "Ducky" on my last day, and at $25.00 it's a bargain.

Monday, August 21. Eclipse Day! Watch the eclipse at the Lost Sea in Madisonville, Tennessee (They're on the centerline of this eclipse, five gets you ten they will be hosting a party! (Bear in mind this is tentative, I am prepared to go 200 miles east or west in the event of inclement weather)). Celebrative Dinner at the Open Hearth Restaurant in Gatlinburg, TN. Night in Gatlinburg.

Tuesday, August 22. Drive to Cosby, Tennessee. Hike to Cameron Mountain in the Smoky Mountains. (Note: This is the northernmost peak in the Smokies, during my last trip here I took on Shuckstack, which is the southernmost peak in this range!). Night in Gatlinburg.

Wednesday, August 23. Visit Dollywood (They've opened five new roller coasters since my last visit! ) then attend the Dixie Stampede Show in Pigeon Forge. Night in Gatlinburg

Thursday, August 24. Go White-Water Rafting on the Hiwassee River (I will take on this river in a one-man "ducky"). Then make my way to Chattanooga and return to Florida.

UPDATE: I just found out The Lost Sea WILL be hosting an Eclipse Party, so this will be my first pick for observing "The Great American Eclipse" (Yup, this eclipse has been named!). "The Main Event" (Totality) will be the shortest duration of all the eclipses I've had privilige of of seeing at the centerline. Here's the duration for each of those eclipses (Rounded to the nearest 30 seconds)

1991. (Total) 7 Minutes

1994. (Annular, A.K.A. "Ring of Fire") 4 Minutes 30 Seconds

1998. (Total) 5 Minutes

2012. (Annular) 4 minutes

If you miss the opportunity to see this eclipse the next two eclipses to cross the fruited plain will be an Annular Eclipse in October of 2023 and a Total Eclipse in May of 2024. The town of Utopia, Texas will in the path of BOTH eclipses. "X" will literally mark the spot!

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